The Boxing Stance – Do it Right! The Boxing Stance – Do it Right! by Fran on January 26, 2010 About the Boxing Stance There is a very good reason why the very first ‘skill’ article that I post is about the boxing stance and on-guard position. If we don’t get the basics of the stance and on-guard right, then any boxing skill that we try to learn will not be as good as it can be. The need for balance, mobility and a sound body shape in boxing cannot be emphasised enough. If you understand the boxing stance, and understand why it is so important, then you will be able to more easily develop the footwork, punches and defensive actions necessary to constitute an effective boxing style. There are two types of boxing stance; orthodox and southpaw. An orthodox boxer is someone who is naturally right-handed and holds the left hand and left leg in front, closer to the opponent. Conversely, a southpaw boxer is someone who is naturally left-handed and leads with the right hand and right leg. If you are a beginner, don’t get caught up in the notion that it feels more comfortable as a right-hander using the southpaw boxing stance.

As a rule of thumb, if you’re right-handed you are orthodox, if you’re left-handed you’re southpaw. Here’s the boxing training video, then check out the mechanics and common faults below: The Mechanics of the Boxing Stance In order to reinforce the points made on the video I’ll outline them here: The feet should be a little more than shoulder width apart, with the front foot being at an angle of 45 degrees to the imaginary line drawn from the toe on the front foot to the heel on the back foot (the line is not so imaginary on the video, but you get the point). By ensuring that the feet are slightly offset and a comfortable distance apart, you provide the best possible base upon which to develop the full boxing stance. Remain on the balls of both feet. Never allow the back foot to go flat, otherwise you’ll have the mobility of an anvil. Ensure the knees are bent slightly and relaxed, again maximising the ability to be mobile; As an orthodox boxer, the right shoulder and left shoulder should align to point in the general direction of the opponent. This minimises the target area to the opponent and also offers more leverage when throwing punches.

Bring the hands up to cheek level, turning the palms of the hands very slightly toward you. This will have the effect of drawing your elbows in to provide protection for your body. Make a fist with your hands, but don’t ‘clench’ that fist, stay relaxed. Rest your chin on your chest, without tensing up. Effectively, you look ‘through’ the eyebrows. By doing this, your chin will remain as well protected as it can be (punches on the chin often have a very undesirable effect!) Ensure that your body weight remains central or on the back leg. Don’t fall into the habit of allowing your bodyweight to ‘lean’ onto your front leg. A simple way to nail this is to not allow your nose to go past the line of your front knee. Common Faults with the Boxing Stance Common faults with the boxing stance include: Turning the shoulders ‘square on’, thereby offering the opponent a much greater target to hit. Losing the imaginary line from the toe on the front foot to the heel on the back foot, thereby messing up your balance. Going flat-footed, thereby messing up your ability to be mobile.

Allowing your chin to raise above the height of the raised hands, thereby increasing the chances of being smacked in the mouth. Allowing your body weight to transfer onto your front leg, thereby being “front-heavy” and vulnerable to attack. And there you have it. Every other boxing training video that I post will be demonstrated from the static boxing stance. It will become second nature to you as a boxer. I will work in the orthodox position, but this can be easily transposed to the southpaw stance (to those southpaws out there, statistically about 1 in 10 of you, please don’t take offence! I appreciate the wondrous mysteries of all things southpaw and fully intend to cater for you guys within this site…if you know how to use what you’ve got, you’ll give us orthodox types all the trouble we need!!) A final tip, it is crucial that you examine your stance with the aid of a mirror (full length if possible). The mirror is not to admire your fine muscle tone or questionable hairstyle, more to offer a window into what your opponent may see. Understand the feeling of holding your stance whilst ensuring that no ‘faults’ are creeping in.

Related Video Articles: Sean May 25, 2014 at 10:18 am Hi Fran, Love the site. My gym is great for fitness but it’s difficult to get the time with the coaches to really work on technique. It’s really helpful to have your videos to break it down. I have a question that I’m not sure where to post. I still tense up quite a bit, particularly on the left/lead side when trying to maintain my guard or jab. It may be a stupid question but I believe a lot of (newer) boxers get told to relax more and it would be great to hear your input on specifically how to relax and keep your hands up. I’ve got an idea of the anatomy of it but I haven’t seen it specifically addressed. I read an interesting discussion on how to relax when boxing here: . My left shoulder often raises when I’m keeping my hand up, which I think causes a lot of the tension. If I lower my shoulder then I become unsure of exactly where or how to place my left hand.

Thanks again, Dave December 2, 2013 at 5:24 pm Hi, I have come to your website after watching a few of your videos on youtube which I found to be the best out there in terms of detail and explaining things properly. I have never boxed but I am interested in giving it a go, however I do not think that I would be any good. In your experience are some people just not made for boxing? Steve August 19, 2013 at 10:46 pm Some fighters have really unorthodox stances and are famous for them, but as a trainer, do you try to correct them? And what’s the deal with the unorthodox stance on somebody like, for example, Chuck Liddell or Anderson Silva? Do they just follow what their trainers say during training, then throw it all out the window when a fight comes? I always wondered about this. Gatsby January 29, 2013 at 5:24 am Hey Fran, I’ve been training MMA for a little over three years but even so I find your site incredibly helpful.

I have read a couple dozen of your articles so far and the advice transcends beyond just boxing, it has truly helped me in my training as well. With so many years of training it’s kind of funny that I have a question on the most basic of articles but here it goes. How detrimental do you think it is to stand flat footed? Staying on the balls of my feet tires me out quicker and I am not much of a mobile fighter so I don’t feel at that much of a disadvantage fighting flat footed. I prefer to stand and trade shots with my opponent relying more so on counter punching when they come in my range rather than getting my hits in then moving out of the way. I feel like staying flat footed gives me power since I am one with the ground and I can torque my body more this way. I have found more success using this stance rather than I was always on my feet and I feel more comfortable this way. I’ve always prescribed to the notion that if something works then keep on doing it but I want to make sure that fighting this way will not become a hindrance as I excel to higher levels.

Obviously there are differences between mma and boxing so maybe you will not be able to accurately answer my question but if you are able to any help will be appreciated! btw, great site Fran! BenJ October 9, 2012 at 7:50 am Hi Fran, great site! I’ve been reading up on your posts from the start recently. (I suck at basics even after a year) Keep up the good work!! I have a question about right handed being in southpaw stance. For my situation, I’m a right handed (when it comes to writing) but a left hander when it comes to sports like basketball and baseball like sports that require throwing with my left. Also, I’ve been self-training (mostly) for close to a year. My question would be that: am I one of the cases where you have mentioned above (right handed people having the “more comfortable as southpaw” illusion) or is it fine that I’m going southpaw? An in-depth explanation for as to why you think what you will think about my situation will be much appreciated (PS : I’m a sucker for logic!) Thanks in advance!

🙂 Connor October 2, 2012 at 9:02 pm Hi Fran I just started boxing and want to make sure im doing everything right! I am right handed but always feel more comfortable in the southpaw stance because i dont have much of a left hook in the orthadox stance. Would it be best to learn orthadox or just stick to southpaw?? thanks for any feedback mate Mark Brackley March 24, 2012 at 2:55 am Hi Fran, I’m loving the site and the foundation. It really helps because I’m currently in Korea so my coach doesn’t speak any English. Not helpful for a beginner. One question about the stance though. On your videos your lead hand seems to remain close to your face even when you are at long range. My coach keeps telling me (at least I think he is) to extend my lead arm to help block incoming shots. To me this seems to take some of the sting out of my jab. Is this just a clash of styles or is one way better than the other? Thanks.

Marko December 12, 2011 at 3:51 pm great vid as usual.after years of training with my boxer friends and on my own i finally started boxing at this gym and my coach tells me i shoud stand much more square than you recommend. he says my feet are way to much in line. he also tells me that the toes of my back foot should be pointing much more inwards, say almos parallel to the line on your floor. now, this does add a little length to the cross and maybe, maybe enables one to throw combinations easier, i don’t know. i’m really confused now. i’m not that much of a boxer, but in my opinion i’m just too square and too open that way. i have the feeling that i would have to have mike tyson’s body movement not to get hit with that stance. btw i shadow box a lot and i kinda got used to your stance… i also have long arms (i’m 188cm tall, my reach is over 200cm) which imho should also be taken into consideration.

i mean, maybe i really am doing something wrong, but… Brett September 22, 2011 at 2:11 am To follow up on a similar point, I like to box using a high guard. Its not a peek-a-boo, since I dont move my head enough. I just feel more safe and defensive. I feel I can get in range easier, since I am average or slightly below average height for my weight class. I Mostly I block and parry, moving in behind the jab to set up close range power shots while keeping both gloves around my temple area. I know that punching from a high guard is probably not optimal, since I shoot my punches from eye level instead of chin/shoulder level. What advice could you give someone with this stance? Also, I like the idea of members being able to send you videos of their matches, spars, workouts etc for feedback. Are you still entertaining that? That would be worth the price by itself in my opinion. Thanks! Keith July 23, 2010 at 7:30 am Hi Fran Thanks for the videos and articles.

I’ve enjoyed them and although I have viewed them a few times I often pick up something new or some concept gets reinforced. For example, last night I was hit a few times with the right during sparring and couldn’t figure out why. After watching your stance video again I’m sure it was due to my shoulders becoming square on during the sparring. Although my left shoulder was initially pointing towards my opponent I allowed them to become square on as the sparring progressed, making it more difficult to keep the chin tucked in. Thanks 3 Basic Counters for Southpaws Against Orthodox Boxers 3 Basic Counters for Southpaws Against Orthodox Boxers April 6, 2010 April 6, 2010 by Johnny N Boxing Strategy , Counter-Punching 24 Comments Three simple counter-punches for southpaw boxers to use against orthodox right-handed fighters. It’s time you use your southpaw stance to your advantage! If you’re a southpaw boxing in a right-handed world, you’re definitely at an advantage.

The simple reason is because you as a left-hander will be fighting more right handers whereas the average right-hander would never have the same amount of experience with southpaws. For now, I enclosed some very simple counter-punches for any southpaw fighter to use against a right-handed boxer. Southpaw Reminders Whenever a southpaw fights a right-hander, it’s common for the fight to become a brawl because of the open mirrored stance. Typically in an orthodox VS orthodox fight, both fighters have the ability to defend against each other’s strong right hand by sticking their weak-handed jabbing arm in the way. In a southpaw VS orthodox fight, both boxers are standing in a mirrored stance and the head and body is very open to being hit by each other’s strong arm from the back. In the case of a beginner southpaw VS beginner orthodox (fancy footwork and head movement aside), it’s common for the fight to become a race of punches — in other words, the faster jab intercepts the slower jab and the faster stronghand punch from the rear will intercept the slower one.

So what I’m saying is…if you’re the southpaw, punch faster and try to get your punches inside his punches. Last reminder, try to circling to your right (which is your opponent’s left). This will manuever you away from his strong right hand while at the same time bringing your strong left hand closer to him. Many trainers will tell you to always try to keep your front right foot on the outside of his front left foot. If you do this correctly, you will find that you will be able to land well with both hands whereas he can only land with his front hand. Enough pre-fight instructions… on to the southpaw counters! 1) Jab Over His Jab Usually in the beginning of a fight between a southpaw and orthodox fighter, both fighters will have an awkward time trying to jab each other. The reason for this is because both of you will be jabbing and catching with the same front arm. What you will do here at first is simply catch his jab with your right hand. The typical orthodox fighter will feel weird and awkward jabbing at your jab arm since he’s clearly trying to go for your face.

At some point he’s going to maybe lunge forward or throw a fast and forceful jab. The moment he does this, lift your right hand so that his jab comes under and then you can jab him right over the top of his arm. (You can also make the move a little easier by bending down on your knees a little and then raising your body to make him miss totally.) This counter seems simple at first but you will see that it works well if you practice a lot and do it subtlely. You can also make it better by pivoting counter-clockwise off your front foot as you throw the jab. 2) Left Cross When He Jabs Many orthodox will not be ready for this because they’re use to trading left jabs against other orthodox fighters. This is the same concept except only you will be throwing a left cross which is far more damaging. Anytime you see him throw a jab, immediately throw your left cross straight down the middle. It should land if you’re throwing it fast and straight. The beauty of it is that even if he throws a right hand, your left cross started first and will intercept it easily; your head will be on the inside of your arm and protected from his right crosses.

3) Intercept his right hand with a straight left Many orthodox fighters will not be able to see your straight left cross. If your orthodox opponent throws a right hand, quickly beat it by throwing a left cross straight down the middle and even between his gloves if he positions them there. This tip is almost like southpaw tip #2 except only you’re doing the same move off a different reaction. If you think you’re ready for more, try reading my article “intermediate southpaw counters against righties” Did you learn something? Share It! Learn about boxing Stance and Footwork. BoxingBeginners.com, the main source of Boxing for Beginners, learn how to box! » Rules Stance and Footwork A stance is the position of a standing person. Stance in boxing is extremely important as it sets the platform for all basic punches. In boxing the main stance is the common orthodox stance, which is used when a boxer is fighting, sparring and working the bags. To get into this stance do the following: Stand with the feet hip width apart.

Take a single, regular, striding step forward with the left foot (if you are left handed step with the right foot, this stance is called southpaw also known as unorthodox). Back foot kept at a 45-degree angle. Shift weight onto the balls of the feet. Distribute weight equally between the feet. Keep the knees bent. Bend elbows and tuck them into the sides (protects vital organs). As the arms are brought into the sides, place fists at cheekbone level with the left arm slightly out, ready to jab (for southpaw fighters, keep the right fist slightly out). Keep chin down and look up. Roll shoulders forward slightly. Position body partially sideways with left shoulder and hand slightly closer to your opponent (for southpaw fighters, position body partially sideways with right shoulder and hand slightly closer to our opponent). Footwork is equally important. As punches are thrown at the opponent they will not land if one cannot efficiently get close enough. Trying to avoid your opponents punches will be more difficult if the footwork is lacking. The key with footwork is to ensure that the body is centered and well balanced at all times and that the fighting stance is secure.

The main focus of footwork should be on moving forward and backward, left and right and pivoting. Moving Backward and Forward When moving forward, push off the back foot and step forward with the front foot with one half step. Following the front foot with the back foot in a shuffling motion to get back into the fighting stance. To move backward, push off with the ball of the front foot while stepping back with the back foot with one half step. Follow with the front foot to get back into the fighting stance. Do not move backward unless it is absolutely necessary and try to fire punches while retiring. Lateral Movement (Moving Left and Right) Lateral movement includes moving and pushing either to the left or right to evade ones opponent. To move left, push off from the ball of the right foot while left foot moves one half step to the left (for southpaw fighters, push off from the ball of the left foot and move one half step with the right). Follow with the right foot to get back into the fighting stance (southpaw fighters, follow with the left foot).

To move right, push off from the ball of the left foot while moving the right foot one half step to the right (for southpaw fighters, push off from the ball of the right foot and move one half step with the right). Follow with the left foot (for southpaw fighters, follow with the right foot). Pivoting Pivoting allows one to quickly change the angle of approach to accurately counterpunch their opponent. Start of with shifting weight to the ball of the front foot. Then push off with the back foot to pivot the front foot a quarter turn to the left or the right. This should throw the opponent off balance and create openings for attack. Southpaw Guide To Beating Orthodox Fighters Southpaw Guide To Beating Orthodox Fighters January 9, 2011 January 9, 2011 by Johnny N Boxing Strategy , Boxing Styles 104 Comments Are you a southpaw boxer? Learn the natural advantages of being a left-handed fighter and more importantly, how to beat orthodox opponents. How To Fight As A Southpaw The most important step to learning how to fight southpaw is to learn all the natural advantages that left-handed fighters have over their right-handed opponents.

Being NATURALLY left-handed is a very big advantage in the world of boxing and fighting in general. First learn the advantages, then learn how to use them to your advantage! The Southpaw Advantage As with many sports, left-handed athletes (known in boxing as southpaws) carry a huge advantage because everything they do comes from the opposite side that a normal right-handed orthodox fighter is use to seeing. Left-handed fighters, pitchers, fencers, tennis players, hockey, and more have been feared by their opponents for generations! In boxing, being left-handed was such an advantage that many fighters back in the days had to convert to an orthodox stance so that other fighters would be willing to face them. Imagine spending your whole life driving on the right side of the road in America, and then having to go over to England and remind yourself to drive on the left. Even though you’re constantly reminding yourself, your body will revert back to its habits and you’re bound to slip up sooner or later. Simply put, southpaws have infinitely more experience against orthodox fighters than vice versa. Quite often, their advantage in being a southpaw allows them to win fights even though they may be slower, weaker, and even less skilled.

If you look throughout history you will see that some of the greatest orthodox fighters had their toughest fights against southpaws. Roy Jones Jr got knocked out for the first time in his career by a southpaw Antonio Tarver. Floyd Mayweather’s invincible defense was penetrated several times by southpaws Demarcus Corley and Zab Judah. Other notable southpaws such as Manny Pacquiao and Paul Williams, have terrorized entire weight divisions with their southpaw styles. Examples of left-handed advantage in sports . The Southpaw Theory Because orthodox fighters are simply not used to throwing punches and defending punches against southpaw fighters, everything orthodox boxers do will be less effective against their southpaw opponents. When facing southpaws, orthodox fighters will throw punches with less accuracy and less power because they’re not used to throwing at the different angles. The orthodox fighter’s defenses will also be less effective and less elusive. The orthodox fighter will always be at a disadvantage against a southpaw because he doesn’t train his offense and defense regularly to mimick southpaw opponents. In contrast, the southpaw is far more comfortable against orthodox opponents. His offense and defense has always been tailored for orthodox opponents.

Everything the orthodox fighter does, the southpaw has probably seen before. Southpaw VS Orthodox Matchup In this section, I’ll analyze and illustrate crucial advantages that left-handed fighters have over conventional right-handed fighters. The Placement No matter what happens during the fight, the southpaw will always be more comfortable with his hand and foot placement. The southpaw’s defense always seems to be in the right place whereas the orthodox fighter always feels like he’s wide open no matter where he puts his hands. The orthodox fighter also feels uncomfortable because he can’t seem to place his feet where he wants to put them. Throughout the fight, he might even trip over the southpaw’s lead right leg because he’s not use having to moving around a southpaw. The Closed Angles When two orthodox fighters face each other, the angles of attack are relatively narrow and closed. Because of this, two orthodox fighters can defend themselves much easier with a static guard. In other words, they are able to defend themselves by using a single guard to defend against all punches. The reason for this is because the opponent’s jab and left hook will generally land in the same place and can be blocked by the orthodox opponent’s right hand.

The opponent’s right hand and overhand right also generally land in the same place and can be blocked by the left glove or the left shoulder (ala Floyd Mayweather’s style). So when two equally skilled orthodox boxers face each other, it’s relatively easy for them to cover up and make the fight more defensive. As shown in the illustration above, their stances naturally close off many angles making it relatively easy to defend. The Open Angles When an orthodox fighter faces a southpaw, everything changes drastically. First off, you’ll notice that the angles are far more wide open. The southpaw-vs-orthodox matchup allows for much wide angles of attack compared to an orthodox-vs-orthodox matchup. The orthodox fighter will not be able to block all four angles with a static guard. Because of the fighters’ mirror stances, the head and body are exposed from multiple directions. Notice how the orthodox fighter will not be able to block all of the southpaw’s angles unless he constantly adjusts his guard. Because of this open angle, a southpaw can easily penetrate (or confuse) the orthodox defense simply by mixing in right hooks with right jabs and overhand lefts with straight lefts.

Now here’s where a lot of boxers will ask me, “But can’t I just use the southpaw’s tactics against him? Won’t the same tactics work in reverse?” This takes me to my next point. The Race The orthodox fighter will most definitely lose if he tries to use the southpaw’s tactics against him. Why? Because the southpaw is more trained and more practiced at using those angles! The orthodox boxer will always lose if he tries to race a southpaw boxer! The southpaw jab easily beats the orthodox jab; the southpaw straight left easily intercepts the orthodox straight right. Again, the southpaw will always be more natural at throwing from those angles and using those tactics. Assuming all fighter attributes even (size, speed, skill), the southpaw boxer will out-throw, out-punch, and out-land the orthodox fighter. Defensively, the orthodox boxer will be more surprised and hurt by the southpaw’s punches because he’s not used to getting hit from southpaw angles. Everything the southpaw does is perfectly trained for use against orthodox boxers but not vice versa!

The Uneven Exchange This is naturally where most southpaw VS orthodox fights evolve into–uneven exchanges. What happens is the orthodox fighter realizes he can’t outjab the southpaw and that his right hand can’t beat the southpaw’s big left. It’s very natural at this point for the orthodox fighter to want to trade right for right and left for left. In other words, the orthodox boxer will throw his right hand when the southpaw throws his right and the orthodox will throw his left when the southpaw throws his left. Here’s the critical analysis. Usually when orthodox fighters exchange punches, they trade left jabs against left jabs and right crosses against right crosses. In that orthodox-vs-orthodox situation, the exchanges are pretty fair and even. Against a southpaw however, the orthodox gets the short end of the stick. Here’s why: when the orthodox throws a jab, the southpaw will land a huge left. When the orthodox throws a right hand, the southpaw easily defends (by moving his head or moving away) and lands a big right hook.

The orthodox fighter is used to watching for the straight right hand and so he’ll forget about the southpaw’s big straight left and or not notice the southpaw’s deadly right hook. But what about the orthodox fighter’s own left hook and big right hands? For one thing, you’ll quickly realize that the orthodox fighter’s left hooks have a hard time landing. The mirror stance makes it hard for the orthodox fighter to get his feet close enough to land his left hook. By the time the orthodox fighter is close enough to land his left hook, he would have already been beaten by the southpaw’s right jab. The orthodox fighter will also realize that the southpaw’s movement easily avoids the straight right. The T-Position Just when you thought things couldn’t be any worse for the orthodox boxer, it actually can be MUCH worse. The southpaw only needs to step forward with both feet, keeping his front foot on the outside and he now commands even more devastating angles while putting himself at less risk defensively. Standing on the T is the most advantageous position during a southpaw-orthodox matchup.

Because the southpaw is more accustomed to fighting right-handers, it’s more common for the southpaw to claim the T-position and put the orthodox fighter on the defensive. From the T-position, the southpaw can punch any way and anywhere he wants. If you study the illustration above, you will see what I call a 2-to-1 scenario where the outside boxer is in a advantageous position because he can attack with both hands whereas the orthodox boxer can only throw his right arm because his front arm is useless and out of range. Offensively, you can almost call this a 4-to-1 advantage because the southpaw can throw a right jab and right hook which land at different angles as well as a left cross and left hook which also land at different angles. The orthodox fighter technically only has 1 attack with his right; because you see, regardless of whether he throws a straight right or an overhand right, it will still come almost at the same angle. Defensively, the southpaw is quite safe since he’s hiding behind the orthodox fighter’s left arm. The orthodox’s left jab and left hook cannot land effectively (if even at all), and the right hand is blocked by his left arm.

Even if the orthodox throws his right hand, the southpaw can easily avoid it by pulling his head to his left or taking a small step to his left. The southpaw is also able to move anywhere he like and escape forwards or backwards out of harms way whereas the orthodox fighter can only back up or and pivot into the southpaw exposing him more to the southpaw’s left hand. In most cases, the orthodox fighter has no choice but to close up and take more punches as he tries to reposition his feet into a more neutral stance. [Do keep in mind that I exaggerated the “T” foot placement my illustration. In actual fighting conditions, as long as the southpaw moves into a position where his front foot is outside the orthodox fighter’s front foot, the southpaw will hold the T-position advantage. You don’t have to stand perfectly square like in my crappy drawing.] The Reverse T-Position This position is very awkward and doesn’t seem possible but it happens more often than you think. Here your orthodox opponent is at the top of the “T” with his back to you, giving you the advantage to hit him from behind. There are two ways you can get into this position.

One is your opponent throws a lunging left and over swings to the point that he’s gone past your front foot and turned himself around. The other way is for you to plant your front foot behind his and just pivot around him. He can’t pivot with you because his front foot is trapped by yours. You can punch him freely from behind. By the time he pulls his front foot out, he’ll be pivoting in to your left cross! Southpaw Left Cross & Southpaw Right Hook It’s all about the angles. Imagine yourself as an orthodox boxing facing another orthodox boxer. You’re use to parrying away his light jabs and watching for his straight right hands. Now imagine you’re facing a southpaw. Now you’ve got huge left crosses coming from where you were use to be expecting weaker left jabs; this changes your defense drastically. On the other side where you use to expect straight right hands from the rear, now you’re facing faster right jabs and also a southpaw right hook that comes from an angle you didn’t previously have to defend against. If you think about it, every southpaw punch exploits a speed advantage or angle advantage that you previously didn’t have to watch out for.

The orthodox boxer is not habitually trained to see your left hands and right hands. I am dead serious, throw those punches as often as you want, anytime you want and you will land easy. Orthodox fighters are ESPECIALLY BLIND to southpaw right hooks. As a southpaw, you should know that every punch you throw carries a surprise advantage. (I’ll have another guide later on how to maximize the left cross and right hook to your advantage.) Wow! Is there ANY hope for the orthodox boxer? Yes…but he better learn how to fight southpaws and have some tricks specially made for southpaw opponents. But I’ll save that for another boxing article 😉 Final Southpaw Tips If you’re a southpaw boxer reading this guide, life should be MUUUUCH easier now against orthodox boxers. Just remember that southpaws hold the advantage. You guys set the pace, orthodox opponents will be under pressure even when you’re just chasing them around the ring and not throwing any punches. 3 Crucial Southpaw Rules: Keep Your Front Foot On The Outside In a southpaw VS orthodox fight, whichever boxer keeps his front foot on the outside holds the positional advantage.

Offensively, the boxer with the outside foot will have the 2-to-1 T-position advantage that I explained above. Defensively, he will be able to move in all directions whereas the other boxer can only to one side. If you put your lead foot on the outside, the other fighter will have to run in the other direction which is towards your strong hand! Just about every boxing coach will stress that maintaining the outside front foot is key in controlling the main advantage during southpaw-orthodox matchups. Watch For The Orthodox Right Hand The most dangerous punch the orthodox boxer has against you is his right hand. That is the easiest and strongest punch for him to land against you and it’s only a matter of time before he uses more and more. The more frustrated he gets, the more he’ll want to throw a big right. Watch out for that right hand and everything will be ok! Mix Up Hooks and Straights Don’t forget that the wide angle makes it hard for the orthodox fighter to block all hooks and straight punches without constantly having to shift his guard. Punch up, down, and around with both hands at all angles!

Note to Orthodox Right-Handed Fighters Yes, I do recommend right-handed boxers to study this guide so that you can understand the mindset of a southpaw when you fight one. It’s also fun to turn southpaw in fights and surprise your normal right-handed opponents. Sometimes when I’m losing a fight or caught bored in a orthodox-vs-orthodox jabbing contest, I love to switch into southpaw and have some fun. Enjoy guys, I had fun writing this one. (Not so much fun drawing though. I’m really sorry about the crappy drawings! My photoshop skills are so bad they took me hours! Hahaha.) Ready for more southpaw boxing guides? Learn how to throw a punch. BoxingBeginners.com, the main source of Boxing for Beginners, learn how to box! » Rules Punches in Boxing Below is a list of punches and how to throw them. You should not attempt any of these punches without a trainer or a coach. A trainer or a coach makes sure that you are throwing the punches correctly which helps to avoid injury. The Jab The jab is the most used punch in boxing, making it the most important to master. The jab is used mainly to keep ones opponent at a distance.

It sets the fighter up for one of the power shots such as the right cross. The jab is not considered a power punch but over the course of a fight it can cause a great deal of damage. To perform the jab do the following: Stand in the boxing stance holding fists in the ready position. Throw the punch in a direct line straight from the chin (Orthodox fighter would throw the jab with the left fist. Southpaw fighter would throw the jab with the right fist). Once the hand leaves the guard position (from the chin) rotate the fist a half an inch. Keep fist relaxed throughout this movement, until just before the point of contact when it is fully clenched. Immediately relax fist and bring back to guard position. *Do the opposite of these steps if you left-handed, a southpaw fighter. The Right Cross (Straight Right) The right cross is often referred to as the most enjoyable punch to throw. It is a natural movement for most. The cross is thrown with the right hand (Southpaw fighters would throw the left). A lot of power can be transferred through the right cross. It is often responsible for many of the knockouts seen in a boxing match. The right cross should be used following the jab.

The cross should not be thrown to often. Throwing the right cross puts a fighter slightly off balance and open to a counterpunch. To perform the right cross do the following: Stand in the fighting stance and throw the right hand from the chin guard position (Southpaw fighters would throw the left). While throwing the cross, turn torso into the punch and pivot on the right foot. This ensures that the entire upper body is thrown into the punch to create power. As right heel pivots outward, accelerate the punch towards the opponent. Relax the hand throughout the movement, until the point of contact, when hand should be clenched tight. After the punch bring the hand back immediately to the guarded position. *Do the opposite of these steps if you left-handed, a southpaw fighter. The Left Hook This punch can be very hard to master as it is thrown at an unnatural angle. It also requires a great deal more of motor coordination. The hook works best when one is fighting on the inside (very close to their opponent).It is a devastating punch and often results in a knockdown. To perform the left hook correctly to the following: From the orthodox stance, transfer weight to the left side.

From the guard position, the left elbow is brought up so it is almost parallel with the floor. The arm should look like a hook shape at this stage. The fist is rotated and the punch is thrown. When the punch is thrown, pivot the left foot, left leg and torso sharply to the right to generate the force. The Uppercut The uppercut is one of the most dangerous punches in boxing. When thrown as a part of a multi-punch combination it can have very good effect. Not many fighters consistently throw uppercuts so, because of that, most fighters do not practice avoiding them very often. Uppercuts are also used when fighting on the inside. The key with the uppercut is to throw it in a fixed position, from the fighting stance. The uppercut can be delivered to the head and body. To throw the uppercut do the following: From the guard position, dip left so elbow rests near the left hip. Rotate your left fist and palm upwards. Launch punch with the left side of the body. The punch is good when thrown at a variety of times, but I think after throwing a good left jab it is good to follow up with the right uppercut.

The uppercut should usually be thrown during the course of 'in-fighting', when you are close to your opponent. Throwing the uppercut from too far away leaves you in a position to be countered much more easily. Throwing the left jab sets up the uppercut very well. You should throw the uppercut in a way that allows you, upon completion of the punch, to be in a position to follow with a left hook afterwards. Mike Tyson is someone, among others, that has a very effective uppercut. Basic Combinations To help the fighter master the punches more effectively they should be put into combinations. Instead of throwing one or two punches sporadically a good boxer should be able to fire multiple punches in a quick combination. When it comes to punching, more is usually better. Some basic combination include: One-Two (Jab, Right Cross) This combination is one of the most basic because the two key boxing punches are used. The main thing is to maximize speed, which will increase power. Turn the torso into each punch and transfer weight onto the ball of each foot depending on the punch thrown.

One-Two-Three (Jab, Right Cross, and Left Hook) For example, when you throw a jab you should automatically be in a position to throw a straight right. When you finish with the right hand, you be in a position to throw a left hook. The jab is used to soften up the opponent, the right cross does the damage and the left hook finishes thing off. This combination flows very well if the weight is transferred to each foot at the appropriate time. Uppercut, Right Cross and Left Hook With this combination, the uppercut is thrown to the body, with a right cross and left hook to the head. This combination allows one to wind up for the right cross followed by the deliverance of the left hook. *Do the opposite of these steps if your left-handed, a southpaw fighter. Left-handedness | Baseball Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia File:Lefthandersday.jpg In 1998, a study suggested that approximately 7 to 10 percent of the adult population was left-handed. Studies indicate that left-handedness is more common in males than females.

[2] Left-handedness, in comparison to the general population, also appears to occur more frequently in both identical and fraternal twins , [3] [4] and several groups of individuals with neurological disorders (such as people with epilepsy , [5] Down's Syndrome , [6] autism , [7] mental retardation [8] and dyslexia ). Statistically, the identical twin of a left-handed person has a 76 percent chance of being left-handed, identifying the cause(s) as partly genetic and partly environmental . [9] Though constituting less than 10% of the general population, 60% of U.S presidents in the last thirty years have been left-handed, including Ronald Reagan , George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton . Presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain also happen to be left-handed. [10] The South Korean president Myungbak Lee is also left-handed.[ citation needed ] Causes of left-handedness Edit Hand orientation is developed in unborn children, most commonly determined by observing which hand is predominantly licked or held close to the mouth. [11] In 2007, researchers discovered LRRTM1 , the first gene linked to increased odds of being left-handed.

The researchers also claim that possessing this gene slightly raises the risk of psychotic mental illnesses such as schizophrenia . [12] Long-term impairment of the right hand: People with long-term impairment of the right hand are more likely to become left-handed, even after their right hand heals.[ citation needed ] Such long-term impairment is defined as eight months or more. Testosterone : Exposure to higher rates of testosterone before birth can lead to a left-handed child. [13] This is the Geschwind theory, named after the neurologist who proposed it, Norman Geschwind . It suggests that variations in levels of testosterone during pregnancy shape the development of the fetal brain. Testosterone suppresses the growth of the left cerebral hemisphere and so more neurons migrate to the right hemisphere. The highly developed right hemisphere is now better suited to function as the center of language and handedness. The fetus is more likely to become left-handed, since the right hemisphere controls the left half of the body. The theory goes on to tie the exposure to higher levels of testosterone and the resultant right-hemisphere dominance to auto-immune disorders , learning disorders , dyslexia , and stuttering , as well as increased spatial ability .

Ultrasound theory: Ultrasound scans may affect the brain of unborn children, causing higher rates of left-handedness in children born to mothers who have ultrasound scans compared to those who do not. This is probably based on a few studies [14] [15] where this relation is studied. In one of these the authors claim that "...we found a possible association between routine ultrasonography in utero and subsequent non-right handedness among children in primary school." However later in the same article the authors state that "Thus the association ... may be due to chance" and "The result was not significant, suggesting that the study had insufficient statistical power to resolve the relationship between ultrasonography and subsequent left handedness in the child" Social stigma and repression of left-handedness Edit There are many colloquial terms used to refer to a left-handed person. Some are just slang or jargon words, while others may be offensive or demeaning, either in context or in origin. In more technical contexts, 'sinistral' may be used in place of 'left-handed' and 'sinistrality' in place of 'left-handedness'. Both of these technical terms derive from sinister, a Latin word meaning 'left'.

[16] Some left-handed people consider themselves oppressed, even to the point of prejudice. Etymology often lends weight to the argument: In Hebrew , as well as in other ancient Semitic and Mesopotamian languages, the term "hand" was a symbol of power or custody. [17] The left hand symbolized the power to shame society, and was used as a metaphor for misfortune, natural evil , or punishment from the gods. This metaphor survived ancient culture and was integrated into mainstream Christianity by early Catholic theologians as Ambrose of Milan [18] to modern Protestant theologians such as Karl Barth [19] to attribute natural evil to God in explaining God's omnipotence over the universe . Meanings evolved from use of these terms in the ancient languages. In many European languages, "right" is not only a synonym for correctness, but also stands for authority and justice: German and Dutch recht, French droit, Spanish derecho, Portuguese direito; in most Slavic languages the root prav is used in words carrying meanings of correctness or justice.

Being right-handed has also historically been thought of as being skillful: the Latin word for right-handed is dexter, as in dexterity; indeed, the Spanish term diestro and the Italian 's destro, mean both "right-handed" and "skilful". In Irish, "deas" means "right side" and "nice". "Ciotóg" is the left hand and is related to "ciotach" meaning "awkward"; [20] in French, "gauche" means "left" and is also a synonym of "maladroit", meaning "clumsy". Same for the Italian "maldestro" and the Dutch word "links". Meanwhile, the English word sinister comes from the Latin word sinister, which originally meant "left" but took on meanings of "evil" or "unlucky" by the Classical Latin era. Alternatively, sinister comes from the Latin word sinus meaning "pocket": a traditional Roman toga had only one pocket, located on the left side for the convenience of a right-handed wearer.[ citation needed ] The contemporary Italian word sinistra has both meanings of sinister and left.

The Spanish siniestra has both, too, although the 'left' meaning is less common and is usually expressed by izquierda, [21] a Basque word that made its way into Portuguese too. In Portuguese, the most common word for left-handed person, canhoto, was once used to identify the devil, and canhestro, a related word, means "clumsy" (sinistro means only "sinister"). The left side is often associated with awkwardness and clumsiness. The Dutch expression "twee linkerhanden hebben" and the Bulgarian expression "dve levi ratse" ("to have two left hands") both mean being clumsy. The English phrase, to have "two left feet" means to be bad at dancing. As these are all very old words/phrases, they support theories indicating that the predominance of right-handedness is an extremely old phenomenon. In ancient China, the left has been the "bad" side. The adjective "left" (左 Mandarin : zuǒ) means "improper" or "out of accord". For instance, the phrase "left path" (左道 Mandarin: zuǒdao) stands for illegal or immoral means.

In Welsh , the word chwith means left, but can also mean strange, awkward, or wrong. The phrase o'r chwith refers to an object being inside-out. [22] In Norwegian , the expression venstrehåndsarbeid (left-hand work) means "something that is done in a sloppy or unsatisfactory way". Additionally, one of the Norwegian words for left-handed, "keivhendt", comes from Norwegian words meaning wrong handed or not straight handed. The Hungarian word balfácán means twit. (Bal means left and fácán is for pheasant.) Other synonyms are balfék and balek. However all these are euphemistic versions of the original vulgar word balfasz, combining "bal" and the vulgar name of the male genitals fasz. In Ireland left handedness is called a "ciotógach" (kitt-oog) which is Irish for left-handed. It is frequently used amongst native Irish people, e.g. "she gave him a slap of the ciotógach after he insulted her at the bar" the word ciotógach is not derogatory and is held with affection amongst left-handed people.

In some parts of the English-speaking world 'cack-handed' is slang for left-handed (it is also used to mean clumsy). The origin of this term is disputed, but some suggest it is derived from the Latin cacare, in reference to the habit of performing ablutions with the left hand, leaving the right hand 'clean'. [23] However, other source suggest that it is derived from the Old Norse word keikr, meaning "bent backwards" [24] The common Australian slang for a left-handed individual is the term Molly-Dooker, whose origins cannot be ascertained for certain. Amongst Muslims , and in some societies including India , it is customary to use the left hand for cleaning oneself with water after defecating. The right hand is commonly known in contradistinction from the left, as the hand used for eating. Even the word " ambidexterity " reflects the bias. Its intended meaning is, "skillful on both sides". However, since it keeps the Latin root "dexter", which means "right", it ends up conveying the idea of being "right-handed at both sides".

This bias is also apparent in the lesser-known antonym "ambisinistrous", which means "clumsy on both sides" and derives from the Latin root "sinister." [25] In Esperanto , the word "left" is rendered maldekstra, literally meaning "opposite of right." A left-handed person is a maldekstrulo. The prefix mal- does not mean "bad", but simply "opposite"; in fact, "generous" translates as malavara, meaning "opposite of greedy." A neologism liva was not accepted by the speakers. In Russian , "to stray left" is a euphemism for being unfaithful to a spouse or partner. Southpaw Edit "Southpaw" redirects here. For other uses, see Southpaw (disambiguation) . A left-handed individual may be known as a southpaw, particularly in a sports context. It is widely accepted that the term originated in the United States , in the game of baseball . [26] Ballparks are often designed so that batters are facing east, so that the afternoon or evening sun does not shine in their eyes.

This means that left-handed pitchers are throwing with their south-side arm. However, the Oxford English Dictionary lists a non-baseball citation for "south paw", meaning a punch with the left hand, as early as 1848, [27] just three years after the first organized baseball game. In boxing , someone who boxes left-handed is frequently referred to as southpaw. The term is also used to refer to a stance in which the boxer places the right foot in front of the left, so it is possible for a right-handed boxer to box with a southpaw stance. Most boxers, southpaw or otherwise, tend to train with sparring partners who adopt an orthodox stance which gives southpaws an advantage. In tennis , a southpaw holds the racket in their left hand. Because of this their grip of the handle is supposedly adjusted in a slightly different style than right-handed players. Some left-handed persons may find the term offensive, especially if the term is not used in the context of a players preferred hand in sports.

This is partially due to the modern obscurity of the term outside of the Southern United States, where it is used more frequently than other areas, thus causing a perception of slander by those unfamiliar with the term. Accessibility of implements and skills File:Japanese knife blade types.png Left-handed people are sometimes placed at a disadvantage by the prevalence of right-handed tools in society. Many tools and devices are designed to be comfortably used with the right hand. For example, (right-handed) scissors, a very common tool, are arranged so that the line being cut along can be seen by a right-handed user, but is obscured to a left-handed user. Furthermore, the handles are often molded in a way that is difficult for a left-hander to hold, and extensive use in such cases can lead to varying levels of discomfort. Most importantly, the scissoring or shearing action - how the blades work together (how they are attached at the pivot) - operates correctly for a right-hander, but a left-hander will tend to force the blades apart rather than shearing the target substance. [28] The computer mouse is sometimes made to fit the right hand better.

Many computer installations have the mouse placed on the right side, making it awkward for left-handers to use without moving the mouse to the other side of the keyboard. Some mouse drivers and operating systems allow the user to reconfigure the mouse buttons to reverse their functions. However, being left-handed does not always mean the person uses the mouse on a computer with the left hand; many left-handers can use the mouse right-handed because they learned it that way from the start. It can be said that this is an advantage as one can use the mouse with their non-dominant hand, leaving their left to do tasks such as taking notes. While European-style kitchen knives are symmetrical, Japanese kitchen knives have the cutting edge ground asymmetrically , with ratios ranging from 70-30 for the average chef's knife, to 90-10 for professional sushi chef knives; left-handed models are rare, and usually must be specially ordered or custom made. [29] The lack of left-handed tools and machines in many workplaces is not only a nuisance to many left-handers, but has actually placed them at peril.

In fact, some factories have installed left-handed equipment after successful class-action lawsuits on behalf of left-handed employees.[ citation needed ] Many well-intentioned companies have manufactured products with left-handers in mind, but have still failed to meet left-handers' needs. For instance, many companies have produced "left-handed scissors" by simply inverting the scissors' handles, making the grip work for the left-hander. Unfortunately, for scissors to function in a truly left-handed manner, their blades must also be mirror-inverted, without which the left-hander is forced to make a "blind cut" because the blade obscures the paper from view. Mundial and Fiskars are companies that have produced truly left-handed scissors, inverting both the blades and the handles. Left-handed adaptations have even bridged the world of music; guitars are often made especially for lefties, and there have even been inverted pianos where the deepest notes correspond to the rightmost keys instead of the leftmost. [30] Inverted trumpets are made, too, but at a considerably higher cost.

The prevailing belief is that left-handed trumpeters aren't at a significant disadvantage; the French Horn, for example, is played with the left hand, yet most horn players are right-handed. Left-handed golf clubs were one of the earlier, and well-accepted, manifestations of a special version of an implement; the most notable left-handed-playing participant being Phil Mickelson (he is naturally right-handed). The sextant is a rare example of a device that is more convenient for a left-hander to use. The grip on almost all sextants is for the right hand, meaning a right-handed user has to put down the instrument in order to write down the measurement after taking a sighting. Handwriting Edit It can be difficult for left-handed children to learn to write if the teacher does not take the student's left-handedness into account. In fact, even in the later 20th century, some UK schools were discouraging children from writing with their left hand, often seriously affecting the child's development ( Hansard 1998 ). When properly done, left-handed writing is a mirror image to that of the right-hander, making the teaching process confusing for the right-handed teacher of a left-handed student.

The result is that many left-handed children learn to write with their hand curled around the pen so that it can meet the paper at the same angle as the right-hander, rather than simply tilt the paper the opposite way.[ citation needed ] Once this habit is formed, it is difficult to break.[ citation needed ] This curling of the hand results in the heel of the palm being placed behind the writing, forcing the writer to lift it off the paper and making the grip even more awkward. In addition, constantly lifting and replacing the hand over fresh ink often causes smudging, causing problems for many left-handed students, especially in exam situations. When the left hand is held correctly, it is below the writing, as is typical for right-handers. However, left-handed people who speak Arabic , Persian , Urdu and Hebrew or any other right to left language, do not have the same difficulties with writing. The right to left nature of these languages prevents left-handers from running their hand on the ink as happens with left to right languages. Still, due to these alphabets being developed for right-handed people, the characters are still often more easily matched to a right-handed profile.

Firearms Edit The vast majority of firearms are designed for right-handed shooters, with the operating handle, magazine release, and/or safety mechanisms set up for manipulation by the right hand, and fired cartridge cases ejected to the right. Also, scopes and sights may be mounted in such a way as to require the shooter to place the rifle against his or her right shoulder. A left-handed shooter must either purchase a left-handed firearm (which are manufactured in smaller numbers and are generally more expensive and/or harder to obtain), shoot a right-handed gun left-handed (which presents certain difficulties, such as the controls being improperly located for them or hot shell cases being ejected towards their body, especially their eyes), or learn to shoot right-handed (which may pose additional problems, primarily that of ocular dominance ). Fortunately for left-handed people, modern guns feature more ambidextrous or right/left-handed reversible operating parts than their predecessors(such as the H&K G36). Bullpup rifles are particularly problematic for lefties unless they can be reconfigured, since empty shells would be ejected fast and straight into the shooter's face and cheek potentially causing injury. Lever action and pump action firearms present fewer difficulties for lefties than bolt action weapons do.

Left-handedness and intelligence Edit In his book Right-Hand, Left-Hand, [31] Chris McManus of University College London argues that the proportion of left-handers is rising and left-handed people as a group have historically produced an above-average quota of high achievers. He says that left-handers' brains are structured differently in a way that widens their range of abilities, and the genes that determine left-handedness also govern development of the language centers of the brain. McManus also says that the increase in the 20th century of people identifying as left-handed could produce a corresponding intellectual advance and a leap in the number of mathematical, sporting, or artistic geniuses. In 2006, researchers at Lafayette College and Johns Hopkins University in a study found that left-handed men are 15 percent richer than right-handed men for those who attended college, and 26 percent richer if they graduated. The wage difference is still unexplainable and does not appear to apply to women.

[32] Prevalence with age Edit In Britain , a study in the 1970s found that around 11 percent of men and women aged 15–24 were left-handed, compared to just 3 percent in the 55-64 age category. [33] The study suggests that 'cultural pressures' for right-hand use were prevalent in the industrial societies in the 18th and 19th centuries (with the advancement of mass literacy), and that those pressures were only significantly relaxed in the 'later decades' of the 20th century. The study also refers to tests on medieval skeletons that show evidence of hand-usage similar to today's, which suggests that hand-prejudice was not always part of UK society.

Right-Hand, Left-Hand author Chris McManus also suggests a number of factors that may have led to the modern increase in left-hand usage: Left-handers suffered severe prejudice during the 18th and 19th centuries and it was often "beaten out" of people [ citation needed ] In adulthood, left-handers were often shunned by society, resulting in fewer marrying and reproducing As prejudice declined in the 20th century, the number of natural left-handers who stayed left-handed increased The rising age of motherhood contributed as, statistically, older mothers are more likely to give birth to left-handed children. [ citation needed ] Statistics show that older people are less likely to be left-handed than their younger counterparts — the percentages of left-handed people sharply drop off with increased age. In the U.S., 12 percent of 20 year olds are left-handed, while only 5 percent of 50 year olds and less than 1 percent of people over 80 are. [34] A study [35] published in 1991 claimed that these statistics indicate that left-handed people's lifespans are shorter than those of their right-handed counterparts by as much as 9 years.

The authors suggested that this may be the result of left-handed people being more likely to die in accidents as a result of their "affliction", which renders them clumsier and ill-equipped to survive in a right-handed world. Many subsequent studies have shown no evidence that left-handed people have reduced longevity compared to right-handed people [36] [37] [38] [39] [40] According to The Left-Hander Syndrome [41] most people were only forced to write with their right hand and allowed to continue being left-handed in most other respects indicating that the decline in older left-handers is not from being forced or switching in later life. Dory Previn wrote a song in which she explains that she was born left-handed but nuns in her school "broke her out of it"; later in life, she went back to using her left hand she said "I went back to using my left, my natural hand," and discovered her musical talent, among other things. Nuns are often associated with training left-handers to write with their right hand. However, this practice was common in both religious and non-religious schools.

The training was due to the difficulty left-handers had writing with liquid ink or fountain pens . When writing with these pens, the side of the left-hander's hand would smear the writing as it passed over the newly-written words. Fountain pens have widely been replaced by the ballpoint pens, although traditional teaching methods still stipulate the use of fountain pens.[ citation needed ] Left-sidedness Edit Studies show that left-handedness does not necessarily correspond with "left-sidedness" (such as using your left foot to kick with), though most left-handed people tend to have "left-sidedness". The same effect holds with ocular dominance. It has also been found that people have dominant sides of the body, such as the eye, foot, and ear. Possible effects in humans on thinking Edit There are many theories on how being left-handed affects the way a person thinks. One theory divides left- and right-handed thinkers into two camps: visual simultaneous vs. linear sequential. [42] [43] [44] [45] According to this theory, right-handed people are thought to process information using a "linear sequential" method in which one thread must complete its processing before the next thread can be started.

Left-handed persons are thought to process information using a "visual simultaneous" method in which several threads can be processed simultaneously. Another way to view this is such: Suppose there were one thousand pieces of popcorn and one of them was colored blue. Right-handed people—using the linear sequential processing style—would look at the popcorn one at a time until they encountered the blue one. The left-handed person would spread out the pieces of popcorn and look at all of them to find the one that was blue. A side effect of these differing styles of processing is that right-handers need to complete one task before they can start the next. Left-handers, by contrast, are capable and comfortable switching between tasks. This seems to suggest that left-handed people have an excellent ability to multi-task, and anecdotal evidence that they are more creative may stem from this ability to multi-task. Right-handed people process information using "analysis", which is the method of solving a problem by breaking it down to its pieces and analyzing the pieces one at a time. By contrast, left-handed people process information using "synthesis", which is the method of solving a problem by looking at the whole and trying to use pattern-matching to solve the problem.

[45] The hypothesis that left-handed people are predisposed to visual-based thought has been validated by a variety of evidence. In the 2004 book Brains That Work a Little Bit Differently, [46] researchers Allen D. Bragdon and David Gamon, Ph.D., briefly described some of the current research on handedness and its significance. "Handedness researchers Coren and Clare Porac have shown that left-handed university students are more likely to major in visually-based, as opposed to language-based subjects. Another sample of 103 art students found an astounding 47 percent were left- or mixed-handed." [page 76] Ultimately, being left-handed is not an all-or-nothing situation. The processing styles operate on a continuum where some people are more visual-simultaneous and others are more linear-sequential. See also

Question: If you box in a left handed stance is described as southpaw.  How is the stance of a right handed boxer usually described?
Answer: Orthodox